Scottish Parliament

Written Answers

Monday 31 January 2000

Scottish Executive

Agriculture

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the farm income figures for 1999.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive is today publishing the Scottish farm income figures. The estimated figures show that Total Income from Farming at £239 million showed little change from 1998. Net Farm Incomes averaged across all farm types is expected to fall by 22% in 1999-2000. The fall in agricultural incomes reflect the lower prices for many agricultural commodities and the continuing strength of the pound. Detailed estimates of the outputs, inputs and income of Scottish agriculture in 1999 at both the aggregate level and by farm type will be published this morning and will be placed with SPICe.

Environment

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of the proposals to install a six million gallon water tank and a three million gallon tank in Corstorphine woods on Corstorphine Hill, Edinburgh and whether it will ensure that Scottish Natural Heritage is consulted on these proposals.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive was informed about these proposals in November last year. I am aware that the East of Scotland Water Authority wrote in general terms about the scope of the scheme to Scottish Natural Heritage in October 1999. This was followed in November 1999 when the consultants commissioned by EoSWA to produce an environmental impact assessment of a number of options wrote to SNH and others about these proposals.

  SNH raised a number of matters with the consultants, and will be consulted again when the preferred sites for these tanks have been identified.

Environment

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it would cost to make the Water of Leith tidal once again; whether it has any plans to do so and, if so, what is the timescale involved.

Sarah Boyack: These issues are primarily within the responsibility of Forth Ports Authority as port authority for the area involved.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that the drugs Taxol and Taxotere are made available to all patients with ovarian and breast cancer who would benefit from such treatment.

Susan Deacon: The drugs Taxol and Taxotere are available on the NHS. The use of these drugs in the treatment of patients with ovarian and breast cancer depends on the clinical judgement of the clinicians concerned.

Health

Mike Watson (Glasgow Cathcart) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it contributed to the formulation of Her Majesty’s Government’s position regarding the Biosafety Protocol negotiations in Montreal and, if so, what views it put forward in the discussion.

Susan Deacon: Foreign Affairs are reserved to the Westminster Government. In recognition of our devolved responsibilities, Scottish Ministers were consulted on the development of the proposed UK negotiating line. The UK negotiating stance has subsequently been agreed with our European partners.

Justice

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to appoint permanent Sheriffs in order to reduce the amount of time spent by police officers waiting to appear as witnesses in Scottish criminal trials.

Mr Jim Wallace: Very significant reductions in police waiting time at court have been achieved through the introduction of first and mandatory intermediate diets. There is nevertheless a continuing need to improve procedures to ensure that waiting time for all witnesses, including police officers, is kept to a minimum. Availability of Shrieval resources is not the most critical issue here, but I intend to keep the matter under review.

Public Appointments

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-3231 by Mr Jack McConnell on 13 December 1999, when it plans to publish the proposed consultation paper on the modernisation of the system of appointments to public bodies in Scotland.

Mr Jack McConnell: Further to my answer of 13 December 1999, I intend to publish the consultation paper Appointments to Public Bodies in Scotland: Modernising the System to coincide with a statement to Parliament in early February. The paper will also be placed on the Executive’s internet site. The consultation paper will invite views from a wide range of people across Scottish society on the current system and on possible options for change.

  The Executive’s Annual Report on Public Appointments will be published on the same day. The Report will also be published on the Executive’s internet site.

Recycling

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it proposes to take to ensure that local authorities materially improve their performance in respect of the proportion of waste recycled.

Sarah Boyack: The National Waste Strategy: Scotland , which we adopted in December, sets out the framework for Scotland to move towards more sustainable waste management. It is clear that a great increase in the amount of recycling by local authorities is needed.

  Soundly based targets have a part to play in implementing the strategy and I have asked the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to advise me on appropriate targets for recycling by local authorities by the end of this year

  I am looking to local authorities and others involved in Area Waste Strategy groups as part of the National Strategy to develop plans which will maximise recycling as we strive to divert waste away from landfill. We have made £2.5 million per annum from 2000-01 available to local authorities to assist with this work.

  One of the main problems in achieving increased recycling levels is the lack of stable markets for recycled materials. Last year I was pleased to launch the REMADE project which aims to demonstrate that viable markets can be developed for recycled materials in Scotland.

Recycling

Alex Fergusson (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to encourage the promotion and purchase of recycled goods by financial, legal and other incentives.

Sarah Boyack: The National Waste Strategy: Scotland promotes the reduction, re-use and recycling of waste. We have adopted the strategy and the Scottish Executive are attempting to lead by example. For instance, the Executive purchases 100% recycled paper wherever possible and recycles paper when it is of no further use.

  The Landfill Tax discourages landfill and promotes reduction, re-use and recycling of waste.

  Regulations are in place to implement the EC Packaging Waste Directive ensuring that at least 50% of packaging waste is recycled by 2001. These regulations should mean that more recycled material will find its way back to consumers.

  The REMADE project aims to identify and develop markets for recycled materials. Part of the project involves work to change standards which demand unnecessary use of virgin materials.

  It is clear that many people are not aware of the impact of the waste they produce. We are looking at ways of raising awareness of waste amongst the general public and promotion of recycling would be a key element of any action taken.

Recycling

Alex Fergusson (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to encourage the 17 local authorities who currently recycle less than 5% of their waste to improve on that record.

Alex Fergusson (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to reverse the trend of reduction in recycling rates by local authorities.

Sarah Boyack: I refer Mr Fergusson to my answer to question S1W-3757.

Recycling

Alex Fergusson (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance it is currently giving to local authorities, outwith the normal annual financial settlement, to facilitate recycling of domestic and commercial waste.

Sarah Boyack: I refer Mr Fergusson to my answer to question S1W-3757.

  We are working in partnership with CoSLA, SEPA and others to try to identify the full financial implications of the strategy. These will have to be carefully considered as part of the Executive’s Spending Review this year.

Transport

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-901 on 13 January 2000 by Sarah Boyack, whether it will publish the study which the Scottish Office conducted into the need for a strategic link road between Dumfries and the M74.

Sarah Boyack: I have arranged for a copy of the Executive Summary Report ( Ironside Farrar, Halcrow Fox, Halcrow Scotland – A74(M) Dumfries Link Study Executive Summary ) to be lodged in SPICe.

Transport

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it was consulted by Her Majesty’s Customs and Excise on proposals for exemptions for flights from airports in the Scottish Highlands and Islands from Air Passenger Duty; whether it supported such proposals based on low population density; whether it expressed an opinion on the treatment of inter-connecting flights, and why it did not consult the Transport and Environment Committee on this matter.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive was not included in HM Customs and Excise’s formal consultation exercise on Air Passenger Duty. The Executive is very well aware of the vital importance of lifeline air services to the economic and social wellbeing of the Highlands & Islands of Scotland. Through its regular contacts with the UK Government, the Executive will add its support for changes which will secure exemptions for Highlands & Islands air services in recognition of the vital but fragile nature of many of the routes. It is for the Transport and Environment Committee to consider whether it wishes to comment on this reserved issue.

Transport

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for new investment in rural bus routes; whether any such investment would be on a par with the £17 million pledged for this purpose by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions and whether Executive investment in any such initiatives would be subject to the availability of additional funding from other partners such as local authorities.

Sarah Boyack: As part of the additional funding for rural transport announced in the 1998 and 1999 Budgets, the Executive is investing a total of more than £14 million in rural transport measures in Scotland between the financial years 1998-99 and 2000-01. In the first two years the Executive has provided local authorities with an additional £3.5 million per year for the provision of rural public passenger transport services – mainly bus. This funding is additional to what local authorities currently spend on rural bus services. Also £0.6 million per year (increased to £0.9 million in 1999-2000) is being invested in rural community transport projects in the form of support to community and voluntary groups to help them organise and operate transport in rural areas. As part of the overall package, £4.5 million is due for disbursement in 2000-01.